Calistoga Road

Every year I think the trees should have changed color by now but have been delayed by some catastrophe. And every year, just as I have given up, these Chinese Pistache trees make the most splendid display all over town. This little stand is near the high school and across the street from the market. Calistoga Road winds its way over the mountains to , yes, Calistoga where the Glass fire started.Perhaps it is the contrast with the fire burned hills behind them that makes these trees stand out so brilliantly.

We took Spike down to the soccer field for a good run with Blake this morning, and it seemed almost like an 'ordinary' Saturday morning. The fire/smoke/restoration services seem to be winding down, and people were out doing whatever it is people do in their garages. We park our cars in ours....There was an actual practice going on at the soccer field; the kids' bags lined up along the sidelines at 6' intervals. The coach and most of the kids were wearing masks but practicing the time honored drills.

I had to chuckle at a father teaching his son how to use a chain saw on their burned hedges rather than teaching him how to catch a fish in Spring Lake or ride a bike on the hilly streets. The sun was out but did little to warm the air. Dana came with us and pruned the flowering plum tree while John and Spike planted daffodil bulbs under the oak trees. Our brown wall has been reduced by at least 50% and what is left is showing more and more signs of new growth.

Moises the Squeegee King came this afternoon and properly washed all the windows and doors. The Servepro guys did a partial job on the outside of the windows and the Merry Maids did the inside, but nobody does as excellent a job as Moises does.

In some ways it feels like we're living in a fishbowl, but at the moment we're just winding down the clean-up phase and enjoying the more open views of the streets on either side of us. The little sign in extras appeared at the bottom of our driveway after the hazmat crew left with their little red  buckets of whatever they deemed toxic. Maybe it means the beginning of the debris removal phase on the lots on either side of us.